Alumni Spotlight: Marcel Reymond, MA International Relations

Originally hailing from Switzerland, Reymond Marcel studied at Webster University’s
Bangkok, Thailand Campus from January 2012 to August 2013. Since completing his Master
of Arts in International Relations, he has gone on to secure the position of Country
Director at Caritas Switzerland.

Reflecting on his 18 months studying at Webster University Thailand, Reymond emphasises
several notable experiences that contributed to his present day success. First and
foremost was the high quality of instruction by individuals who have achieved significant
milestones in their own life. One such example for Reymond was the lectures by Professor
Margaret McMillion. Reymond recalls her very structured way of teaching and the space
she opened up for discussions during lectures. “As a former US Ambassador to Rwanda
she had a very good insight into the issues we discussed during the lecture”. Despite
noting that it “was an awful lot of work and sometimes I felt stressed” it was this
very approach that helped him to “produce good research results and provide convincing
arguments”.

Reymond is currently employed as the Country Director of Caritas Switzerland and is
overseeing their recovery and development operations in the Philippines. Focussing
on the reconstruction of houses and schools following the catastrophic damage caused
by Typhoon Yolanda, Reymond utilizes his education and research skills acquired at
Webster Thailand on a daily basis. His degree has not only helped him to garner “a
better understanding of the situation, challenges and differences of countries in
Asia” but it has also allowed him “to put certain events, currently happening in the
Philippines in perspective and understand the wider geopolitical implications”. With
responsibility for a USD $13 million budget and more than 100 staff, Reymond still
keeps his ‘finger on the pulse’, with regular site visits to gather statistical information
for monitoring and reporting.

In addition to the intellectual stimulation and knowledge gathered throughout his
time at Webster University Thailand, Reymond also cites the diverse group of students
from all walks of life as one of his fondest memories. Through classes and group work
with students from across the world, Reymond was able to develop his research skills
in an “enriching, fun and stimulating” environment. Webster encourages cross-cultural
exchange and diversity across each of its global campuses. It is seen as a way to
not only broaden students’ horizons, but also to help mould them into strong global
citizens.

Overall, Reymond saw his Master degree as the catalyst for assisting him to see controversial
issues through a number of different lenses. As he opines, “any issue can be disputed”
and one must sometimes “step back when discussing contentious issues”. Whilst never
considering himself a researcher per se, he has flagged a possible return to studying
in the future – an indication of the significant influence that Webster has had on
his outlook.

The staff and faculty at Webster wish Reymond all the best in his current position
and future endeavours.